In the fifth year of the Josh Heupel era, ESPN identifies the Tennessee Vols’ greatest obstacle to overcome.
In the Fifth Year of the Josh Heupel Era, ESPN Identifies the Tennessee Vols’ Greatest Obstacle to Overcome
In 2025, Tennessee Volunteers football finds itself navigating a critical crossroads. Under Josh Heupel, the program has seen revitalization after years of stagnation, bringing the Vols back into relevance in the competitive SEC. Heupel’s high-powered offense and commitment to modernizing the program have provided a sense of hope for fans, but as the Vols head into their fifth year under his leadership, the road ahead is anything but simple.
While ESPN and other sports outlets have lauded Heupel’s ability to rejuvenate the Vols’ offensive attack, the path to elite status in the SEC remains filled with obstacles. To make the leap from a competitive team to a championship contender, Tennessee will have to address multiple challenges. ESPN has identified the greatest obstacle to Tennessee’s success: its inability to consistently overcome the elite defenses in the SEC, particularly in big moments, and its ongoing struggle to establish depth in key positions. In this article, we will dive into these challenges, examining how they affect Tennessee’s program, what solutions are available, and how Heupel and his staff are preparing to face these hurdles head-on.
The Josh Heupel Era: A Brief Overview
Josh Heupel arrived at Tennessee in 2021 with high expectations. Known for his fast-paced, high-scoring offense that had propelled UCF to national prominence, Heupel was tasked with restoring Tennessee to relevance in the hyper-competitive SEC. His tenure has not been without its challenges, but the program has experienced a notable resurgence in the last few seasons.
In Year 1, Heupel faced a rebuilding project that included a new coaching staff and a roster filled with a mix of players from previous regimes. Despite the challenges, he quickly established an identity built around an up-tempo offense, emphasizing the passing game and a no-huddle approach. The results were immediate, with the Vols showing significant improvement over the course of the season.
In 2022, Tennessee took a significant step forward, finishing with a 10-win season and earning a spot in a major bowl game. Quarterback Hendon Hooker emerged as one of the top players in the nation, while wide receivers like Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman helped Heupel’s offense shine. The Vols were on the cusp of returning to national relevance, and a win over Alabama in the 2022 season was seen as the signature moment of the Heupel era.
However, as the 2023 season unfolded, Tennessee ran into its most significant obstacle: its inability to consistently overcome elite defenses in the SEC. While the offense remained potent against lower-tier opponents, the Vols struggled against teams with top-tier defenses, especially in critical moments. Despite the progress, this inconsistency would ultimately be the key factor preventing Tennessee from fully breaking through to the next level.
The SEC’s Elite Defenses: A Stumbling Block for the Vols
The Southeastern Conference is known for its elite defenses, and teams like Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and even teams like Kentucky have built reputations for stifling high-powered offenses. In order to truly compete at the top of the conference, Tennessee must not only score points but be able to score consistently against these formidable defensive units.
In 2023, Tennessee played a number of games against top-tier SEC defenses, and the results were mixed. Against Georgia, a defense that many considered the best in the country, Tennessee was stifled for much of the game. While the Vols had their moments, the Bulldogs’ physicality and depth proved too much, and Tennessee ultimately fell short in what was a must-win contest for their College Football Playoff hopes.
Alabama, long known for its defensive prowess, also gave the Vols fits. While Tennessee was able to put up some points, it was clear that the Vols’ offense had trouble breaking through the Tide’s defense when it mattered most. The same story played out in other games against elite defenses, where Tennessee’s offense, which thrived against lesser opponents, was consistently thwarted by teams that had the talent and scheme to shut it down.
Offensive Line Play: The Heart of the Problem
One of the key factors behind Tennessee’s struggles against elite defenses is its offensive line. While Heupel’s offense is built around the fast-paced passing game, the importance of a strong offensive line cannot be overstated. Against elite defenses, Tennessee’s offensive line has struggled to provide consistent protection for the quarterback and has been ineffective at opening up holes in the running game.
Against teams like Georgia and Alabama, where defensive lines feature future NFL talent, Tennessee’s offensive line was often overwhelmed. Quarterbacks like Hendon Hooker, who thrived in a clean pocket, were pressured and sacked far too frequently in these contests. The lack of a dominant offensive line also made it harder to establish any semblance of a balanced attack, forcing the Vols to rely more heavily on the passing game, which allowed opposing defenses to key in on Tennessee’s strengths.
In order to overcome this obstacle, Tennessee will need to recruit and develop offensive linemen capable of holding their own against the best defenses in the nation. This is no easy task, given the SEC’s emphasis on dominant defensive line play. However, Heupel and his staff have made it a priority to address this issue through both recruiting and player development.
Quarterback Play and Decision Making
While the offensive line has been a significant issue for Tennessee, quarterback play has also been a point of concern in high-stakes games. While Hendon Hooker’s performances in 2022 were nothing short of spectacular, the loss of his leadership and skill in 2023 left a gap in Tennessee’s offense. Joe Milton, who took over as the starting quarterback, has immense physical talent but has struggled with consistency and decision-making, particularly against top-tier defenses.
Milton’s arm strength and ability to make deep throws are assets, but his accuracy and ability to read defenses have often been questionable. Against elite teams like Georgia and Alabama, Milton’s lack of precision and occasional poor decision-making led to turnovers and missed opportunities. While Heupel’s system relies heavily on the passing game, it is clear that the Vols need a quarterback who can consistently execute at a high level against the SEC’s best.
As Heupel looks to the future, finding a quarterback who can combine Milton’s physical attributes with improved decision-making and accuracy will be crucial to Tennessee’s success. Whether through further development of Milton or the recruitment of a future star, this will be a critical area of focus in the coming seasons.
Depth and Recruiting: A Long-Term Solution
While Tennessee has made significant strides under Heupel, one of the underlying challenges the program faces is depth, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The Vols have made improvements in recruiting, but they still lag behind some of the top programs in terms of overall depth and talent. This issue becomes particularly evident when Tennessee faces SEC powers like Georgia and Alabama, which can rotate fresh bodies in and out without losing a step.
For Tennessee to become a true contender for the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff spots, the Vols must continue to build depth across all positions. This means improving not just the top-end talent but also strengthening the overall roster, particularly in areas like defensive line, linebacker, and secondary. The goal is to have the talent to compete for four quarters, something that the top SEC teams can do on a consistent basis.
Heupel has made strides in recruiting, but the challenge remains to bring in high-end talent on a yearly basis and develop that talent into contributors. In a conference like the SEC, recruiting will be the key to sustained success. While Tennessee may not yet be on the same level as Georgia or Alabama in terms of roster depth, the program is certainly trending in the right direction, and continued recruiting success will be pivotal for the future.
Overcoming the Greatest Obstacle
As the Tennessee Volunteers head into the fifth year of the Josh Heupel era, ESPN has identified the greatest obstacle to their success: the ability to overcome elite SEC defenses. Whether it’s a lack of consistent offensive line play, struggles at the quarterback position, or a lack of depth, these issues have prevented the Vols from breaking through to the upper echelon of the SEC.
However, the road ahead is not without hope. Heupel’s high-powered offense has shown the ability to be explosive, and with continued recruiting and development, the Vols have the potential to address their weaknesses. The key will be to build a team that can consistently execute at a high level against the SEC’s best defenses, ensuring that Tennessee’s offensive attack remains potent when it matters most.
If Heupel can solve these problems and continue to recruit at a high level, the Vols could soon be in position to compete for SEC titles and, ultimately, national championships. But as ESPN suggests, the road to the top of the SEC will require overcoming the toughest defenses in the country, and that remains the Vols’ greatest challenge as they enter Year 5 of the Josh Heupel era.